Current Situation
- Escambia County Emergency Operation Center is at a level 3, or monitoring level. We will continue to closely monitor the situation through the weekend to provide our residents with the most up-to-date information.
- There are currently NO evacuations ordered for Escambia County residents, no matter the location. However, conditions can change rapidly. It is vital that residents monitor our local media for the most up-to-date forecasts several times a day and follow any safety directives from Escambia County Emergency Management officials.
- Public works crews are implementing their storm preparation protocol which includes fueling of equipment, stocking vehicles, placing employees on standby for after-hours road clearing, removing trash cans and lifeguard towers from Pensacola Beach, and checking drainage systems.
- Governor Rick Scott issued Executive Order 17-262 declaring a state of emergency in 29 counties within the State of Florida in response to Tropical Storm Nate. The counties under the state of emergency are Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Holmes, Washington, Bay, Jackson, Calhoun, Gulf, Gadsden, Liberty, Franklin, Leon, Wakulla, Jefferson, Madison, Taylor, Hamilton, Suwannee, Lafayette, Dixie, Columbia, Gilchrist, Levy, Baker, Union, Bradford, and Alachua counties.
Weather Update from National Weather Service/National Hurricane Center
- Tropical Storm Nate continues to move toward the north-northwest near 10 mph and is expected to continue during the next couple of days with a significant increase in forward speed.
- Nate is forecast to reach the northern Gulf Coast this weekend as a hurricane, and the threat of direct impacts from wind, storm surge, and heavy rainfall is increasing from Louisiana through the Florida Panhandle. A hurricane watch and storm surge watch will likely be issued for portions of the northern Gulf Coast tonight or Friday morning.
Schools, Colleges & Universities
- Monday, Oct. 9 is a scheduled professional development day for Escambia County School District teachers and staff, students do not attend school on this date. Staff and teachers should plan to attend scheduled professional development training sessions on Monday, as scheduled, unless they are informed otherwise.
- All UWF locations will be closed Saturday, Oct. 7 at noon through Monday, Oct. 9. This includes all classes, events, campus activities and online courses. Normal university operations, classes, events and campus activities will resume Tuesday, Oct. 10.
- Pensacola Day, a Pensacola Christian College Campus Church event for the Pensacola community scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 7, has been canceled.
Traffic Conditions
- Check for Escambia County road closures 24/7 at www.myescambia.com/roadissuesmap.
- In Escambia County, we work with law enforcement to close bridges for safety at sustained (not gusts) wind speeds of 39 MPH or greater. It is not yet clear if our area will have this level of impact.
Gulf Islands National Seashore
- Gulf Islands National Seashore officials will closed all of areas of the national seashore including all Mississippi Islands, the Fort Pickens, Fort Barrancas, Naval Live Oaks, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and the Perdido Key Areas to all public use due to the approach of Tropical Storm Nate. All areas will close this evening, Thursday, October 5, at their regular time. All campers at the Fort Pickens & Davis Bayou Campgrounds must evacuate by noon, Friday, Oct. 6.
Storm Preparation Actions you can Take Now
- Review/make your family plan. Need help? Read more on how to care for your family here.
- Know your zone. Look up your address online at http://bit.ly/2vGzR1R. You can search by address or parcel number and then look for the “Emergency Management Report.” The address function is self-populating, so type slowly and then choose the address from the drop down list.
- Restock your disaster kit supplies/get a kit. Your disaster kit should have at least three days of nonperishable food and three gallons of water for each person and pet in your home, along with other supplies. Click here to see our latest disaster kit shopping list.
- Prep your yard. As we are entering the height of hurricane season, it is also recommended that residents take a few minutes to inspect their home and yard. Check for, fix or remove loose items on your home and sheds. Clear loose and clogged rain gutters and down spouts. Trim trees and shrubs around your home.
- Stay informed. Things can change quickly. Be sure you take time every day to monitor the local media. Escambia County also has several tools available for our residents. Learn more here. Monitor local media and legitimate online and social media sources like Escambia County Emergency Management, US National Weather Service Mobile, NOAA NWS National Hurricane Center and Florida SERT.
